International students
Our advising team supports international students with all questions regarding student life in Germany. We offer advice, events and information if you are new to Germany or face various challenges during your studies. With our Study Buddy program and our Meet and Eat offer, you have two opportunities to get to know your fellow students and make friends.
We advise you on all questions concerning student life in Germany
- how to find a room
- how you can get in contact with Germans
- which health insurance is best for you,
- what you have to consider when working in Germany,
- how to finance your studies,
- if you get into financial difficulties
- if you are pregnant or with your children in Germany
or - if you have received a letter from an authority that you do not understand.
Even if you don't know whether you are in the right place with your question - feel free to contact us. We will find out together and forward you to the right place.
More...
External content
The Study Buddy Program is a mentoring program for international and German* students. It promotes intercultural life at universities in Schleswig-Holstein and contact and exchange between German* and international students. The Studentenwerk SH arranges contact between two students (German* and international) based on interests and language skills. We currently offer the program in Kiel, Lübeck and Flensburg.
The Study Buddys meet in pairs in their free time and do what they enjoy. They decide for themselves how often they meet. In addition, we organize some events in which all Study Buddys can participate.
If you want to register for the program, please use our registration form for Kiel, Flensburg or Lübeck. We have also answered many questions about the Study Buddy program in a FAQ.
(*Note: by "German" students we do not necessarily mean students with German citizenship. For the program it is important that you speak a confident German, that you have been living in Germany for some years and that you have people in your circle of friends who have been living in Germany for a long time. To avoid misunderstandings, we ask you to click on "register as a 'German' Study Buddy" when you register).
Fancy some company while you eat? Then discover the reserved tables in our dining halls with the "Meet & Eat" logo, sit down and get to know new people. Here you can be sure that your table neighbors would also like to exchange ideas! Whether German or international - all students are welcome.
External content
Student Financing Video
For an overview of student financing options, watch the video above:
Information German Student Union
This website of the German Student Union offers you useful information about:
- Health insurance
- how much money you need to live in Germany
- working in Germany
- accommodation/living
- residence permit
- and much more
Studying in SH
The brochure "Studying in Schleswig-Holstein" gives you useful information for your studies and your time in Schleswig-Holstein (Kiel, Lübeck, Flensburg, Heide).
How to handle Kiel?!
In this brochure you will learn how to meet people in Kiel, where you can get advice or German lessons. You will also learn more about the environment, traffic and travel.
By the way: Once a semester we offer in cooperation with other institutions the event "How to handle Germany" - with practical information about different aspects of life in Germany and Kiel.
Video on health insurance in Germany
In our video series for international students we inform you about health insurance and what you can do if you are sick.
Health Dictionary
Health dictionary: This German-English dictionary of the German Student Union gives you a lot of information about health topics.
Mensa dictionary
Mensa dictionary: It shows you typical situations from everyday student life in the Mensa and teaches you the appropriate vocabulary.
Room search
You will soon start studying in Schleswig-Holstein and are looking for a room? In the brochure "Info on finding a room in Kiel / Lübeck / Flensburg / Heide" you will find many helpful tips and addresses.
Info on finding a room: German/English
Broadcasting fee
In Germany, every apartment has to pay the broadcasting fee. This is used to finance the public media. The broadcasting fee currently costs 18,36 €/month. The fee has to be paid from the 1st month you are registered in Germany.
You have to register yourself at the Rundfunkbeitragsservice. If you do not do so, the Rundfunkbeitragsservice will write to you by mail after a few months and ask for the unpaid fees.
Only students who receive BAföG can be exempted. International students must pay the fee, regardless of how long they will live in Germany and how they finance themselves.
Whether your room in the dormitory counts as a single apartment or whether you can register a shared apartment with your roommates varies from dormitory to dormitory.
You can find a lot of information about the broadcasting fee for students and registration on the website of the broadcasting fee service. Information about the broadcasting fee is available in different languages.
You can also find basic information about the broadcasting fee in an explanatory video.
The German Student Union has also compiled a FAQ for tenants of the dormitories.
Dorm dictionaries
Dorm dictionaries: They show typical situations from everyday life in the dorms with the help of pictures.
Dorm dictionary - German/Chinese/English
Dormitory dictionary - German/Polish/Russian
Dormitory dictionary - German/French/Spanish
Dormitory Dictionary - German/French/Arabic
The dorm dictionary in German/Chinese/English is also available as a free app: www.idormdict.de.
International dormitory tutors
Our international dorm tutors are students who have experience abroad, usually speak several languages, and have lived in Schleswig-Holstein for some time. They are the contact persons for all international students living in the dormitory.
If you have...
- have questions about living in the dormitory and everyday life in Germany,
- don't know who to go to for specific questions,
- have experienced difficult situations or feel uncomfortable in Germany,
- if you would like to have contact with others
and, and, and
...the tutors will be happy to help you.
In addition, the tutors organize various events for international and German students (for example: welcome breakfast, game nights, intercultural parties, ...).
Online consultation hour of the international tutors: Every Monday, 6-7 pm, via Zoom. Meeting ID: 994 6405 8970 Password: 074477
The tutors will answer your questions about life in the dormitory and in Germany. You can find out who is currently responsible for your dormitory on the page of the respective dormitory (Link: Housing).
